Maria Papacosta

We've all experienced it – that nervous flutter before speaking in public, whether it’s at a conference stage or just a meeting. Even the most confident public speakers feel fear. As Mark Twain said, "There are only two types of speakers in the world: the nervous and liars."

Individuals often attempt to manage pre-performance anxiety by trying to use the voice in their head to talk themselves into calmness. Regrettably, this usually backfires, leaving us feeling even more anxious. Now we’re not just grappling with speaking nerves, but also with a sense of inadequacy about our inability to self-soothe.

There is a better approach. By understanding, accepting, and evaluating our fears, we can embrace them as a natural part of the human experience. This empowers us to move beyond our comfort zone, expand our careers, and develop new skills.